Protecting The Pack
by DancingInTheDark85
Summary: When his favourite human is hurting, Bear comes to the rescue. Fluff of the Belgian Malinois variety. New Christmas chapter up!
1. Medic

So, this was not what I planned to write today, but it happened anyway. As always, these characters are not mine and I'm just playing with them. This is set early Season 3.

I want to thank all of the people who have reviewed my little stories so far. I have written for quite a few fandoms now and I can honestly say not only are you the most welcoming but you write some truly awesome reviews. And to findus who pointed out my unforgivable yet persistent error in spelling, you'll be happy to know I have been through everything and made suitable corrections.

I hope you enjoy this next little one. Dutch translations at the end of the fic, because obviously Bear speaks Dutch.

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Protecting The Pack: Medic

I can smell Aanvoerder before he enters, the usual mix of coffee, aftershave and gunpowder, but this morning he smells of sweat and blood too, his own and someone else's. This is not unusual for Aanvoerder but it doesn't often happen so early in the morning. Usually in the mornings, Aanvoerder smells of sugar and sweet things, he'll bring the sweet things for himself and Bediende but pretend to drop one for me when Bediende is not looking. There's no sweet things today, but I'm happy to see him anyway so get up and go over to greet him, besides, he smells strongly of blood and I need to see if I can make him better.

I can hear him coming up the stairs wearily and so I am already in position when he arrives. He pulls the metal grate open and I am already zitten at attention, waiting for Aanvoerder to inspect me. Like me, Aanvoerder was a soldier once too, so he appreciates it when I zitten well. I zitten for Bediende sometimes too, but he's not so commanding as Aanvoerder and I feel less compulsion to please him, in fact it is Bediende's job to please me.

Aanvoerder seems happy with me and crouches down to give my head a scratch. I don't know what has happened, but he is tired and there is blood on him so I put my front paws on his knee and give the side of his face a lick to make him better. It must work because he smiles. My tail wags and makes a thumping sound on the wooden floor.

When he stands again, I follow him. He goes into the room that has the water in it and he rolls up his sleeve. There is a lot of blood and a big long gash on his left front leg, (the one he uses to pick up things because humans only use their back legs for walking) all the way to his paw. I saw knife wounds in the army and know this is what has happened to Aanvoerder. I growl low in my throat, I want Aanvoerder to know that I am angry at the people who did this to him. I'd eat them, if only he'd show me where they were.

Aanvoerder needs help so I halen the medical kit without him asking. It is kept on a shelf that is quite high but if I stand on my back legs and put my front paws on the shelf then I can get the handle of the big green bag in my teeth and pull it. It's heavy in my teeth but my jaw is strong so I have no problem carrying it back to Aanvoerder. I am rewarded with lots of pats to my head and he whispers "Good boy." at me softly.

I zitten and blijven while Aanvoerder opens the bag and tries to find the bandages he needs, but it is bleeding a lot and he is struggling. He is no longer standing on his hind legs, he comes to zitten on the cold tile floor. I stick my nose in the bag and try to nudge a bandage to him, wishing my front paws worked like human front paws so I could help better.

But there is a way to help, I hear the metal gate open again and can smell that Bediende is here, and he is with Vriend. I jump up and go to see them. Vriend is a new addition to our pack, she smiles at me and says something happy at me. She crouches down and makes a fuss, stroking my fur and playing with my ears. Vriend is always happy to see me and she often plays with me and my ball for hours, but it is not Vriend I need now, I need Bediende.

Bediende talks to me often and uses the same tone now. Aanvoerder rescued me and will always be my favourite, (as pack leader it is my job to please him), Vriend does not come here often but will always play with me and spends a lot of time petting me, but it is Bediende who understands me best. He is always here for me and looks after me and I need him now to look after Aanvoerder. I whine at him and then go back to the water room and he follows me. Sometimes humans find it difficult to understand but not Bediende, he always knows. Sometimes I think he is quite intelligent considering his social status in our pack.

I lead Bediende into the water room, and Vriend comes too. Bediende sees Aanvoerder struggling with his hurt leg and makes a sad noise. He rushes over and inspects the wound and he and Aanvoerder and Vriend have a quick discussion. Then it is Vriend who takes over the medical kit. Bediende watches anxiously and so do I.

I see Vriend get a small piece of metal and some thread from the medical kit and I know what she is going to do. When I was in the army, I was walking with my old Aanvoerder when something went boom. It hurt my shoulder and it bled a lot, it hurt my old Aanvoerder too and I did not see him again. Other soldiers took me to a man who used a piece of metal like this to put my skin back together. Vriend is going to do the same to my new Aanvoerder. I remember it hurt so I go to my new Aanvoerder and put my head in his lap. I think it helps him because he strokes my ears and whispers to me. He does not even flinch when Vriend puts the metal in his skin.

He keeps stroking me until Vriend has finished putting his skin back together and wraps it to keep it safe. When I was in the army and the man put my skin back together, he made me wear a big collar thing round my neck so I couldn't bite it. It itched a lot and I really wanted to bite it, but they don't make Aanvoerder wear a big collar thing. I know he's going to want to bite it too, I must watch him and make sure he doesn't.

Bediende helps Aanvoerder up off the floor and together we all walk back into my bedroom. Bediende brings me my food and my water bowl and Aanvoerder gives me some special treats for helping him with his leg. What I really want is the sweet things that Aanvoerder brings most mornings, but I know he is hurt so I accept this may not happen and I enjoy the treats he does give me.

The humans talk for a moment and then Vriend gets my lead and I know I'm going to the park. I hope that we are all going but Aanvoerder looks tired so I guess it is just me and Vriend. I give Bediende a stern look, if I am going to the park then someone needs to watch Aanvoerder and make sure he doesn't bite his stitches.

As always, Bediende understands, he pats my head and says, "Don't worry, I'll look after him." I wag my tail, giving him my approval and reach my paw up to pat him. I can't reach his head so I pat his knee instead and then head to my day in the park with Vriend. I worry about my pack sometimes, they can sometimes be hurt, and sometimes be sad, but I do my best to protect them and make sure they protect each other too. After all, they are the best pack I've ever had.

* * *

I wanted some Dutch names for Bear's humans that reflected their roles in his life, as well as to use some commands that he would be used to hearing. If it's wrong, blame google translate. If you're Dutch and have an alternative suggestion then feel free to let me know.

Aanvoerder - captain, leader, commander, chief, skipper, boss

Bediende - clerk, servant, attendant, employee, steward, domestic

Vriend - friend

I would hope who's who is obvious.

Zitten - sit

Blijven - stay

Halen - fetch

What do you think? This could become a series of one-shots.


	2. Running Partner

Authors Notes: As with the last chapter, Dutch translations are at the bottom. These stories are going to be individual snapshots and have no real timeline, so you can set this whenever you want within the first three seasons.

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Protecting The Pack: Running Partner

I care deeply about Bediende, of course I do. He feeds me, plays with me and chats to me in that soothing tone of voice while he stares at the glowy box for hours on end. And of course, being a dog, it is in my nature to love my comrades wholeheartedly. But sometimes it is not enough. I understand, Bediende is lame and doesn't move so well. I don't begrudge him it, but I long for the days when Aanvoerder comes to see me and he is wearing his cozy clothes that means we are going for a run.

I can tell as he comes up the stairs that we are going for a run today. His shoes sound different, they're his running shoes. I feel a pang of sympathy at the thought. I had shoes in the desert to protect my feet from the hot sand and I hated them. Humans have to wear them all the time, except for at home. I know Aanvoerder likes to feel free like me, so I wonder how he can stand it. His feet must be really soft, which is strange because I know he is tough.

I leave Bediende to his glowy box and go to the gate at the stairs to wait for Aanvoerder, dancing back and forth with excitement at the prospect of a good run. I need this and I know he needs this too. It has been a long time since we've been running together, Aanvoerder hasn't been here much lately, and when he is he has been sad and tired. I think he might be sick, although he pretends he's not, and I know Bediende is worried about him too.

He unlocks the gate and crouches down to pet me, rubbing my ears in that way that I like and speaking to me softly. I don't understand the words, they're in that other language the humans use, but I know from the tone that he loves me wholeheartedly too. He's sad again today, but I give him a gentle 'wuff' and cock my head at him. Sometimes he needs reminding that running always makes him feel better. At least he's come dressed for it, in his soft shoes, thin black shorts and the cozy top with the hood that feels nice and soft when I nuzzle my head into it.

"Finch!" He calls through to Bediende as he stands and takes my leash. "I'm taking Bear for a run."

Bediende appears in the doorway and smiles at him softly. "Good. He's missed you, you know."

Aanvoerder looks down at me and gives me a wan smile, and I know it's the best smile he can manage today. "I know."

I wuff at him and wag my tail happily, showing him I appreciate the effort he's making, even though smiling is hard sometimes for humans, and promising him that this run will be good. It will make him feel better.

Together, we walk down to the street and then Aanvoerder pauses, letting me choose where I want to go. It's a long way but today I want to go to the Big Park, so I take off in that direction, making sure there's a gentle tug on my leash to motivate my human, but curbing the excitement that makes me want to pick up the pace and drag him down the street. There is no way Bediende could walk so far and I wouldn't dream of tugging on my leash when with him, for fear of hurting the fragile human, but Aanvoerder breaks into an easy jog and we navigate our way through the swarms of people and cars towards our destination.

When we hit the park, and we are free of the crowds, Aanvoerder breaks into a flat out run and I am only too happy to join him. The weather is chilly but the sun is warming and the air rippling through my fur is delightful. I glance back at my human, hoping he is experiencing the same joy, but though the wind is in the carefully maintained shock of fur he has on his head, his face is set with a grim determination. He's racing, I realise, not against me, he knows he'd never win that, but against himself, running as fast as he can, so I match his pace and run alongside him, willing him to win with my mere presence alone.

We run for a long time, even longer than usual, until eventually Aanvoerder stops and collapses on his back in the damp grass. I have a moment of panic, thinking that I've pushed him too far and perhaps killed him, so I double back and lick his face to rouse him.

He is breathing heavily and his skin tastes of sweat, but as I swipe my tongue over his cheek he smiles. A proper smile this time. He takes my head in his hands and places a kiss on my forehead. He wraps his arms around me and I lie down beside him with my paws on his heaving chest and enjoy the closeness. We don't do this often, Aanvoerder and I are both soldiers and sometimes that makes it hard to be affectionate, but he clearly needs it today and I decide I must make sure I give more snugs.

We stay that way until we both stop panting from our run. Then, Aanvoerder sits up, takes my leash off and pulls a ball from his pocket. I feel better from our hard run but still have more energy yet, so when he throws the ball, I'll happily chase after it and bring it back.

There are other dogs in the park and when he throws the ball a second time, a snowy white female malamute also gives chase. She's bigger than me, but I'm faster and get there first. She is there a moment later and playfully bats at me with her paw in an attempt to win the ball. I want to play with her, but Aanvoerder needs me more today so I take the ball back to him and wait for him to throw it again. He does and it becomes a series of races between me and the malamute until she gets called away and it is just me and Aanvoerder again.

I'm tiring by the time we're done, and I get a sense we've been there a long time. Aanvoerder looks cold and it's time I took him back. He puts the leash back on me and we jog steadily back, slower than before. As we come to the bottom of the park, Aanvoerder stops to look at the big metal dog that stands on a rock. The dog is a husky and I wish I knew why he was there, but he must have been very important because lots of humans stop to look at him and children like to pet him as though he was real. Aanvoerder contemplate the big metal dog and then pets me on the head and says something in his 'good boy' voice.

The light is fading, the sun has dipped beyond the big buildings and there are less people in the park now. Suddenly, I hear a shout I don't like the sound of and turn my head to see where it came from. Aanvoerder heard it too, he's also on alert, and together we go and investigate. We go through the tunnel by the big metal dog and into another area of the park. There are two boys, holding a third, smaller boy up against the trunk of a tree. One of the bigger boys is rummaging through the smaller boys pockets. The other, taller boy has a gun he's holding in a shaky hand.

"Let him go." Aanvoerder barks, and I don't even wait for the command before I race towards them, my leash trailing behind me as Aanvoerder let it go. I launch myself at the boy with the gun and sink my teeth into his gun holding paw, dragging it down. The gun goes off but I have it pointed harmlessly at the ground now and the bullet sinks into the grass. The bad boy is crying, but I don't let go, just hold him there and wait for my next command.

The other bad boy tries to run but Aanvoerder grabs him and holds him firmly to him to stop him escaping. The small boy starts crying and sinks to the floor against the tree. Aanvoerder growls at the bad boys but speaks in his 'good boy' voice to the small boy. Other humans have heard the gun shot and while most are screaming and running away, it is not long before police man and woman jog up.

"Bear, loslaten!" Aanvoerder commands and I hand my bad boy over to the policewoman who puts handcuffs on him.

A crowd starts forming and my bad boy is shouting and crying and the small boy is crying also, so it is easy in the commotion for Aanvoerder and I to slip away. We continue our jog home and as we do I watch my human's body language. The sadness is not gone, but it's less, his muscles are not so tense and when he looks at me and smiles I can see he means it this time. I wag my tail at him happily and know if he had one, he'd wag his back. It feels good to be tired and good to bite bad people and I know Aanvoerder thinks so too. When we get back, Bediende is still at the glowy box but looks up to greet up and I bark at him to let him know I've healed our Aanvoerder as best I can for today.

The end... until next time.

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Aanvoerder - captain, leader, commander, chief, skipper, boss (Reese)

Bediende - clerk, servant, attendant, employee, steward, domestic (Finch)

Loslaten - release, let go

ADDITIONAL AUTHORS NOTE: because a guest asked and I have no way to respond, the statute is of Balto, a sled dog who brought life-saving medicine across the tundra to an Alaskan town in the grip of an epidemic. There's an animated movie for those who are interested. These stories are all about Bear being a kind of healer, so it felt appropriate for John to recognise this.


	3. Need To Feel Needed

Authors Note; Slightly different start to the others on this one, but the image I started with came from a different POV. Also, sorry it's not very seasonal, it's Fireworks night tomorrow in the UK but I had to set it July 4th instead. Again, these are no in chronological order, this is some time in Season 3. Same Dutch translations at bottom for those who forgot.

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story, if you're signed in, hopefully I've managed to thank you personally, but if you're a guest you should know that your encouragement matters just as much. Keep reviewing, it means a lot to us writers.

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Protecting The Pack

Need To Feel Needed

Finch stared up at the darkened windows of the old warehouse conversion, before checking his phone again. Strange, that there should be no light on, he knew the ex-operative was likely to be tired but even then the man usually stayed up beyond midnight. It was far too early for the younger man to have gone to bed already, especially considering the noise outside, and yet his phone placed him at the address. Finch nearly turned on his heel and walked away but then he glanced down at the takeout food and the six pack of European beer he had in his hands and decided there would be no harm in checking. After all, maybe Mr Reese only had the lights off to watch the fireworks better, the view from those floor to ceiling windows was likely to be spectacular tonight.

Independence Day. Finch smiled. It felt right, to celebrate freedom after the last few months they'd had, to remind themselves that they were still free, still able to help people in need. He knew John had been struggling since Rikers and he was sure that the other man would appreciate a normal evening of beer and the game highlights. Finch idly wondered if he'd bought the wrong beer, he'd gone All American with the food, BBQ pulled pork, spicy wings and a mountain of fries, but knew the CIA had left John with a more European taste in lagers. He chuckled, he personally held little stock in the kind of intense patriotism that many of his countrymen held, but it could be that tonight the veteran saw his choice of beverage as a betrayal of the flag.

Anyway, it was too late now and the food was getting cold. He hobbled up the steps, wishing he'd picked John an apartment with an elevator. He was slightly out of breath when he got to the fifth floor and struggled to juggle his offerings in one hand while he unlocked the door with his spare key.

When he opened the door he scanned the dark space for signs of his friend, relieved when he confirmed that Reese hadn't been sat on the couch getting drunk in the dark. His eyes settled on the king size bed in the corner of the room. There was a lump under the duvet, the dark sheets lit up sporadically by the fireworks outside, highlighted in greens and reds.

Finch stepped forward tentatively, feeling suddenly guilty at the intrusion. "Mr Reese?"

At the sound of his voice, the top of the cover flipped back and a familiar face with uncharacteristically mussed hair was exposed. "Harold?" John asked. Weary but alert. There was no surprise to his tone, Finch realised the ex-spy had known it was him from the way the key sounded in the lock. Which begged the question why the man was still buried in his bed.

Suddenly another familiar head appeared from under the duvet, from where it's owner was snuggled tightly into John's side.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you had company." Finch smiled.

Silently, John's bed partner grabbed the duvet between their teeth and flipped it back over, burying them again, causing John to chuckle.

"Sorry Finch. Bear doesn't like fireworks." John explained, tugging the sheet down just enough so that he could see out, but keeping the dog covered.

Finch frowned, "I know dogs generally don't like loud noises but I would have thought being military trained Bear wouldn't mind... oh." He trailed off as he realised exactly why the animal hated fireworks. He came over to the bed and perched on the edge of it. He found the animal under the sheets and stroked his ears fondly, "I'm sorry Bear. We should maybe have taken you out of the city for a few days."

John slid himself out of bed, looking somewhat uncomfortable with the number of bodies in it now, and headed to the kitchen. He was dressed in a white undershirt and a pair of dark jeans, bare feet padding almost silently on the hardwood floor. "There was no time," John pointed out, returning with a couple of plates and setting them down on the coffee table. "We had to work the number and there was no one else to take him."

Finch got up from the bed and joined John on the sofa, carrying the food. There was a whine from the duvet which nearly broke Finch's heart, but John reacted quicker. He hurried to the dog with long strides and then scooped him up into his arms, still wrapped in the duvet, like he was carrying a child. John whispered to him gently as he carried him effortlessly. "Don't worry Bear, I don't like them much either." The comment was clearly for the dog's ears and no one else's. He made it back over to the couch and then sat with him swaddled on his lap.

As one of John's arms was trapped cradling 65lbs of dog, Finch twisted the cap off a beer and handed it to him. John waited until he had a beer of his own ready and then they clunked them together before both taking a sip, falling into a moment of contemplative silence.

Outside, the fireworks display raged on. Finch twisted awkwardly to look behind him at the view. It was spectacular, but he could hear now what the other two could hear, and if he closed his eyes he could imagine why they troubled the animal. The explosions sounded just like gunfire from a distance. He took a glance at John too, who held Bear tightly to him with one arm and held the beer with the other, absently picking at the label with him thumbnail. Harold could see it wasn't just their dog that was struggling tonight, the younger man looked half a world away.

"I know I'll never be able to understand," Finch said tentatively, "but if you ever want to talk, I'm here to listen." He doubted the man ever would, and honestly, Finch thought that in this case ignorance could be bliss. He wasn't sure he could stand to hear what had left such deep scars on the man's psyche. It was a funny thing, military service, Finch mused. He knew no matter how much he came to learn about the man beside him, he knew he'd never truly understand. And yet Carter had since the first moment they'd met, Bear too, even those people they helped that had some sort of military background, it gave them all a connection to each other that Finch would never be a part of. He didn't feel jealous about it, just sad.

"Thank you Harold." John said after a pause. But that was it, he clearly wasn't going to open up tonight.

"I thought we could eat and watch the sports highlights." Finch said, trying to brighten the mood. He pulled his takeout boxes out of the bag and displayed them on the table.

"I don't have a television." John pointed out.

"I'd noticed." Finch frowned. He usually approved of people not having televisions, books were so much better, but he found himself wondering what the man did instead in those long days here alone, there were no books, he knew the man didn't own a computer. He'd half expected to find him brooding in the dark and Finch wondered just how much brooding did go on here.

"Are you ever going to finish decorating this place yourself or do I have to do everything for you?" He teased, pulling his laptop out of his bag. Within minutes he had hacked into the neighbours wifi and had sport centre playing live.

"Seems like an unnecessary expense." John shrugged. "Besides, I'm hardly here."

"Didn't your date remark on it when you brought her here?"

"I think she was more concerned with fearing for her life."

"I think she was more concerned with her knight in shining armour." Finch joked instead. "And probably a little disappointed that you didn't take advantage of that role." For the briefest of moments, Finch thought back to another man he'd hired, and how some hot blooded men would've used their hero status to full advantage and felt thankful it was not him he was sat beside now.

But John's love life, or lack of it, had always been a taboo subject between them, so he switched his attention to the laptop, on which the presenters were discussing play by play some of the better moments from the night's game. "Have you seen the results yet? I hear Fusco lost a weeks pay."

* * *

The lights and bangs continue outside, and I wonder why the city has gone to war this time. I have been home from the desert a few years now and yet I still haven't gotten used to the random nights when the whole city seems to erupt in explosions.

The first time it happened, I had been living in a big concrete room that smelled of engine oil and those little white sticks that humans put between their lips and set on fire. I'd leapt into action, expecting the man there to give me a mission, but they hadn't appeared bothered or nervous and in fact carried on drinking and set off explosions of their own with no obvious target. With no mission to focus on, I assumed we were on standby and took cover beneath a parked vehicle and remained on alert all night, waiting for orders that never came.

I had hated living with that pack, they kept me on a chain, and although they all appeared to be combatants in some sort of war, they never gave me any missions. Of course I did have a job, a menial one as a guard, but it was confusing, all the men I met reeked of violence and I could never understand who were supposed to be the good guys and who were the bad guys. They all smelled like bad guys to me.

In the desert, life was hard at times, but the work was delightfully challenging and the men always fed me well, played with me and treated me with affection. I remember one time, we were all on a mission, it had been a long and tough one and I had been exhausted and thirstier than I've ever been. I was so tired that I could hardly put one paw before the other but my old pack had picked me up and taken it in turns to carry me a whole day and a night back to base. They'd all been upset by my tiredness but they looked after me and I spent a week in a comfy bed being doted on by my old Aanvoerder.

I loved those humans so much, especially my old Aanvoerder that the humans all called Sarge. And for a while I thought I'd never love anyone like that again. I'd become tired and despondent in that strange smelling room with the bad men and the next time the sky had started exploding I hadn't cared. And then I met my new Aanvoerder and his friend Bediende and things changed. Now the sky is exploding again and I care enough to be worried once more.

I had thought there might be a mission again tonight, I long to be doing something rather than just listening to the explosions and waiting for one to hit us. It was an explosion that took my old Aanvoerder away from me and I frequently have nightmares about the same thing happening to my new pack.

Being in a war but not having a job to do makes me fidgety and nervous, but it makes my Aanvoerder fidgety and nervous too. I've watched Aanvoerder closely since being rescued by him, and I know the man is restless when he doesn't have something to occupy his mind. It's simple really, Aanvoerder, like me, needs to feel needed.

But despite the war happening in the city tonight, the glowy box that gives us our orders is quiet and we have been kept on standby, so I had to find a new way to make sure Aanvoerder feels useful. As we cuddle up on the sofa watching the images on a different glowy box, with me wrapped in Aanvoerder's tight hug and Bediende beside us gently scratching me behind the ear, I congratulate myself on a mission well accomplished. I often wonder how these humans coped without me, but now I'm here I'll make sure they'll never feel unneeded again.

* * *

Aanvoerder - captain, leader, commander, chief, skipper, boss (Reese)

Bediende - clerk, servant, attendant, employee, steward, domestic (Finch)


	4. Blinky Tree Day at Tunnel Home

Authors Note: Okay, so I decided last minute to write a Christmas fic and as much as I've been inspired today to write something Die Hard related, I've only given myself a few hours. So instead I felt another Bear story was in order.

This is set just before 4.11 If-Then-Else. I realise it doesn't really look that cold until a few episodes after, but they all run on so by the time they're wrapped up warm in Maple it's really only a day or two after, so I'm going with it. Enjoy. As always, translations at the bottom.

Happy Blinky Tree Day everyone!

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Protecting The Pack: Blinky Tree Day at Tunnel Home

The humans are deep in discussion, sat around the glowy box. Whatever it is they are talking about, it must be important, as no one has even looked my way for hours. For a while I had sat beside Bediende, tongue lolling out and panting but apart from a brief scratch on my head from Aanvoerder, he, Bediende and Vriend just keep ignoring me and leaning over the glowy box intently. So now I have given up and have curled up under the glowy box table, my head and paws resting on Aanvoerder's foot to remind him I'm still here.

Things have changed lately. And not just the move from the book-filled home to this tunnel home. I didn't see Aanvoerder and Vriend for a long time and Bediende and I lived in a small home for a while, brighter than our previous one but still book-filled. Now we're in a cold tunnel home with a big metal box that they keep the glowy box in. I don't like it down here so much, but it's okay because Aanvoerder and Vriend came back and Bediende seems happier than he was when it was just him and me.

They are all too busy now though to play with me much. Bediende still takes me for his usual walks and Vriend goes running with me when she can, and still enjoys throwing the plastic disc for me to catch, although we used to do this every day and now I have to wait a long time before she comes for me and sometimes we go running in the dark because it is the only time she has left. As usual though it's Aanvoerder that I worry about most. He still walks around full of anger and sadness, like he has since his mate went away, but now he is so very tired too. Sometimes, when there is a quiet moment in the tunnel home and it is just us, he'll sit with me and hold me close and talk to me in his soothing voice. I know he wishes he had more time with me, I can't understand all the humans say but I think he tells me that something called 'work' is to blame for his absence. This 'work' is to blame for when he comes home smelling of sweat and blood too, and I want to sink my teeth into 'work' to try to protect him from it.

Aanvoerder looks tired again today. And Bediende is upset. Whatever they are talking about, things are not going well. Vriend is grumpy again, because she has been forced to stay in Tunnel Home for a long time now and she doesn't like it either. She likes to be free, like me.

But then they are interrupted by a noise on the stairs. I jump up, tail wagging, I can smell who it is, and she's got a stick with her. We must be going to the park. Aanvoerder is sat with his hind legs a little too far apart and I stand on his foot and brush passed his knee to go and greet the last of our pack.

"A little help here." Krankzinnig yelps as she struggles with her stick, it must be a big stick. Human's don't normally bring sticks, I know, but Krankzinnig is not like other humans. She is always happy and gets so excited about things that sometimes I think she is part-dog. But as I see her, I realise she's not brought a stick, it's a whole tree!

I bark my enthusiasm and wag my tail even faster. Vriend and I can't go to the park so Krankzinnig has brought the park to us! I go up to the tree and give it a sniff. It smells amazing! I jump up at Krankzinnig, tongue lolling out to show my appreciation. She has her hands full with the tree and in my excitement I nearly knock her over but I can't help it because there is a tree, I miss the park, and it has been a long time since my whole pack was in the same place.

"Bear." Aanvoerder warns quietly, and he doesn't need to give me the rest of the command, his tone of voice is enough of a reminder to calm down. I try my best and stop jumping, but there's still a lot of tension in my body at this new development. Aanvoerder goes passed me and pats me on the head as he goes to help Krankzinnig with the tree. The tree is taller than Aanvoerder, and even he struggles with it down the stairs.

"What's this?" Bediende says, as he and Vriend come to watch Aanvoerder and Krankzinnig struggle with the tree.

"Surprise!" Krankzinnig says with a laugh.

Aanvoerder frowns at Krankzinnig who keeps giving him orders. She sometimes forgets who our pack Alpha is, but Aanvoerder only growls at her sometimes and never fights her to put her in her place. Lesser Alpha's would have had to resort to violence to show their strength and keep their title, but not Aanvoerder, he knows that when he speaks, the others will always listen.

Eventually Aanvoerder has the tree where Krankzinnig wants it and bends down to fiddle with something at its base. Suddenly, the tree is filled with little blinky lights. There are other things on the tree too, that catch the light and seem to shimmer on its branches. Aanvoerder steps back and all the humans marvel at the blinky tree. Aanvoerder says something, and his voice is softer than before. Bediende replies, and he too seems less upset than he did when they were all sat round the glowy box.

Krankzinnig is so excited, that if she had a tail it would be thumping the floor. She runs back up the stairs and Vriend goes with her, while Aanvoerder pushes a couple of tables together and Bediende gets the chairs.

When Vriend and Krankzinnig come back they smell delicious and I have to be told by Aanvoerder to zitten to control myself. They put their bags of deliciousness on the table and Bediende brings the humans food bowls. I pick up my bowl and carry it over, making sure that when they dish up they don't forget me. Vriend takes it from me and gives me a hug.

Krankzinnig puts some music on and they dish up the food, including mine, there's turkey and potatoes and sausages in bacon and a lot of other food I don't get given but it's okay because it doesn't smell as good. Humans for some reason like to eat plants, even though meat is so much tastier. They sit down to eat and Vriend puts my bowl in front of me.

I bury my head in the food and keep eating, almost so fast I am sick. When I look up again, I see that my pack are laughing over something Aanvoerder said. They're relaxed and smiling and I haven't seen any of them smile in a very long time.

I don't always like Krankzinnig, I can feel the tension between her and the other humans, and she challenges the authority of Aanvoerder in a way she has no right to. But today she has made them happy, so I pick up the last of my turkey and place it in her lap as an offering of my appreciation. She squeals but pats me on my head as the others laugh.

The day has become the best day in a long time, possibly ever. There's only one thing left to do. So I go over to the blinky tree, but as I cock my leg on it to mark my territory, four voices scream at me, "Bear! No!"

Whoops, too late.

* * *

You know the score by now, here's the Dutch names;

Aanvoerder - captain, leader, commander, chief, skipper, boss

Bediende - clerk, servant, attendant, employee, steward, domestic

Vriend - friend

Krankzinnig - insane, crazy, mad, lunatic

Zitten - sit


End file.
